1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographic printer and a method for setting conditions for the photographic printer, or more particularly, to a photographic printer and a condition-setting method for the photographic printer, in which an image recorded in a photographic film is exposed on a light-sensitive material by plane exposure while an image data prestored in memory is displayed on a two-dimensional display unit and exposed on the light-sensitive material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, a negative film having various test patterns recorded thereon is used in order to set various conditions for the photographic printer as described below. As an example, what is called a Bull's eye negative film primarily intended for a gray circular image is exposed and processed to produce a print, the density of which is measured and compared with a predetermined reference density, thereby setting a proper exposure condition. Also, what is called a chart negative film primarily associated with a cross pattern is exposed and processed thereby to produce a print. The displacement of this print from a predetermined reference position is measured using a predetermined jig or the like so that proper paper transport conditions are set.
A negative film with test patterns recorded on it, however, is liable to be deformed or the reference point thereof often damaged or otherwise adversely affected in transit, and therefore it is necessary to handle it carefully. Also, a negative film may be discolored due to secular variations, thereby making it necessary to strictly conform to the effective period of use for each negative film. In this way, the work for setting conditions using a negative film as described above is quite troublesome.
In this connection, a photographic printer has been proposed, which comprises a main exposure section for exposing an image recorded on a negative film and a subsidiary exposure section for performing exposure and processing to produce a print on the basis of an image displayed on a two-dimensional display unit such as a liquid crystal panel. An example of an application of the subsidiary exposure section is an index printer for producing an index print composed of the frames of a developed negative film arranged in matrix and compressed. With this index printer, the image data of each frame of the negative film read by a predetermined scanner is stored in a predetermined memory. The image data of several frames are read out of the memory and displayed on a two-dimensional display unit at a predetermined timing. The several frames of images thus displayed are exposed on paper, thereby producing an index print.
Conditions must also be set for this index printer, but no method for setting such conditions has yet been established. Conventionally, therefore, the operator loads a negative film with test patterns recorded thereon (for example, a Bull's eye) in a negative carrier of the exposure section (main exposure section) for an official print, so that a test pattern image is read by scanner and the image data of the test pattern is temporarily stored in memory. Further, a test pattern is displayed on a two-dimensional display unit based on the image data stored in memory, a print is produced based on the test pattern thus displayed, and conditions are set using the print thus produced. The condition-setting work for this index printer is very troublesome and inconvenient.